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SG
Yamaha’s SG 2000 is a double cutaway electric guitar with a three-piece solid mahogany body with a maple top. It has 22 frets on its 24 3/4" scale ebony fingerboard. The gauges of the strings supplied by the factory are to low 0.011, 0.014, 0.018 (plain) 0.026, 0.035 and 0.046. Action set by Yamaha at the factory measured 3/128" at the nut and 5/64" at the end of the fingerboard for the high E string; for the low E string, the measurements were 2/64" and 7/64". These are reasonable heights, since jumbo frets are used on the SG-2000. The string nut is 1 9/16" wide, with the strings spaced 7/16" apart (centre to centre). The neck itself is 2 1/4" wide nearest the body; this is similar to the Gibson Les Paul Custom. The neck passes through the entire body, and is constructed of three lengthwise wood laminations. This will usually increase the strength and straightness beyond that of most single-piece necks. Both the bridge and tailpiece of the SG-2000 are gold plated and are made of cast pot metal (probably zinc?). The bridge rests on a brass sustain b1ock a feature introduced by Alembic several years ago and thereby increases the sustain. Each saddle on the bridge can travel %6", which is about average for this type of configuration. The tuning machines of the SG2000 are similar to Grovers, but have no identifying manufacturer’s markings. The body of the guitar has a "tummy cut" in the rear portion on top; this allows the player to rest the instrument against his side without getting sore ribs. This feature is similar to that found on some Fender guitars. Located in the neck of the guitar is a single-action steel truss rod which is easily accessible from the top. The manufacturer provides the correct truss rod adjusting tool with a Phillips screwdriver tip at the opposite end. The neck angle in relation to the body axis was measured at 6.5°, which is steeper than average (about 4°) for a guitar of this scale length. This in turn affects the bridge and pickup heights. In relation to the fingerboard, the peghead angle is 14° again steeper than average (12°), but somewhat less critical than the neck angle. This increased peghead angle will create greater string tension at the nut, and might add some extra sustain. Electronics are the basis of the sound of most electric guitars. The pickups employed on the SG 2000 are humbuckers with metallic covers that expose both coils of each pickup to the strings. There are three adjusters for pickup height two on one side and one on the other (similar to Guild guitars)-thereby allowing better tilt control of the pickup than if there were only two. The pickups are capable of a 1.34-volt AC output, which would be considered "medium hot". ("Hot" pickups usually put out 1.75 to 2.0 volts. low-output models generate less than 1 volt, and those in the "medium hot" range create about 1.5 volts.) The height of both pickups set by the factory was l/8", and the magnetic output of each was average- about +24 gauss. The impedance (DC resistance. measured in ohms) of the pickups was 7.000 (Gibson humbuckers measure about 8.000 ohms); this gives the Yamaha a very midrange-oriented sound. The pickup selector switch used in the SG 2000 is similar to the "standard" Switchcraft model used in most American guitars a vast improvement over most Japanese instrument switches. Guitar player magazine (September 1980) had the following criticisms of the SG 2000: Dan Smith, Yamaha’s product specialist for guitars and amps, responded to the criticisms from Guitar Player: Smith also notes that the SG-2000 is sold with a specially-fit case, and has a detailed service manual to aid in uniform maintenance of the guitar. Reference: Guitar Players product profile: The Yamaha SG-2000 electric guitar. Guitar Player, September 1980.